Until Death Do Us Part
by Decepticon-silverstreak
Summary: The shoe was about to drop, and she didn't want to do it. After this, the ripples in the aftermath were going to be catastrophic. The image of one Jack Napier would be finally consumed by the Joker, as if he had never existed. God help me for what I'm about to do. "Jack Napier." Anna knew that God had stopped listening to her pleas a long, long time ago.
1. The Beginning of the End

The air was cold; damp.

It was almost as if the world knew that she was suffering and wanted to punish her for it a little more, to twist that knife deeper. Anna continued to push on, heels rapping loudly against the pavement as she wrapped the thin sweater tighter around her body. Small, icy clouds of smoke escaped her mouth with ever exhale, burning her lungs with its icy bite and reminding her far too much of the smoking buildings earlier. Time was precious and Anna had already wasted time trying to get Jay to safety with little luck.

_Not like it'll help. _It was a dark thought, and Anna quickened her pace. _If he wasn't to find us, it won't be hard for him. _It did hurt, more than she would like, that her once husband had turned into a deranged killing psychopath bent on tearing the city apart. That moment his laugh was broadcasted on the TV, with those deep scars stretching his mouth wide, she had called Jeannie, who was shaken deeply but enraged as she found out that it was her own brother terrorizing Gotham, causing the latest destruction. The two of them had been doing everything they could to keep this reaching her son's ears. He didn't need to know, he was an innocent and Jay did not need to know of his father, other than old fuzzy memories.

Anna knew she had to speak with Commissioner Gordon. Once it was announced he was actually alive and had captured the Joker, she made a call to the police, for it was practically her only choice to speak to.

_Or Batman._

Either one of them, she didn't care. They could probably protect her family. They could prevent anymore of Jack's deranged madness from poisoning the city, prevent more blood from spilling onto the ground and onto his stained hands. She knew that Jack would and could do anything to prove his made, his _insane_ point to all of Gotham. He'd done it before. The loud ringing made Anna jump as her phone vibrated in her pocket; she quickly pulled it open with shaky hands, not bothering to check the caller ID.

"Hello?" Anna asked raggedly, shoving her way past another group of pedestrians who were blocking the sidewalk and dashed across the wet street, ignoring the blaring horns of pissed drivers ready to hit her, wanting her out of the road.

"_Hurry the fuck up Ann! These fucking cops are giving me dirty looks and I don't have time for their fuckin' bullshit." _Jeannie's voice snarled over the phone, sounding tired and pissed as well. Both Jeannie and the cops have never exactly gotten along. Scratch that, there was no getting along period. Jeannie had her own very long and dirty record from when she was running around with the gangs looking for quick cash after John was taken. Not the best person to be "hanging out" in a police station, waiting on certain people. Anna can't comprehend why Jeannie is getting all worked up when she clearly is an obvious issue.

_I'm never going to hear the end of it from her. Ever. Especially after what's happened tonight._

"Where's Jay? He isn't with you is he?" Her tone was latent with worry, for she had no idea if the _Joker_ had tried to make a grab at her son, and bringing him to the police station is the last thing he needs. _Their son._ Cold sweat beaded on her brow. If Jack took their son, she knew she'd put a bullet in his head herself with no remorse. After what he did the last time Jay was around him, Anna knew there was no love left in him for their son. And Anna had none left for Jack,_ it's Joker,_ now considering that Jeannie all but gladly threw him out of their lives for good.

"_Of course he aint with me, are you friggin crazy?! I stuck 'em over with Scarlet. He hates her, but he'll be fine. Scar is one of the Falconi boy's favorites."_ While the situation wasn't ideal, it would have to do. There was a pause on the other end of the line; Jeannie's breathing causing static to brush the edges of the phone. She's never been good with them in the first place, breaking them more often than not. _"How far are ya? Eventually one of these shitheads are gonna realize who I am and throw me out."_

She rolled her eyes. Really? Jeannie was the kind of person that once you've met, you'd always know it was her. She was a very distinctive person. A hulking figure, reaching five eleven, dark brown hair reaching her chin, with lithe muscles and small breasts. She could and often does pass for a man when she wears her typical baggy clothing. The woman was far from pretty; with a partial Cheshire grin on the left side of her face all too similar to her brother's that had been carved into her face by ruthless loan sharks. Thanks to drunken daddy dearest pissing the money away and down the drain, and angering the wrong man.

Those loan sharks later came and shredded her face after her father overdosed than rather pay the money back. But after they were done with her, blood spewing on the table and floor, gurgling in her throat trying not to scream and make the injury worse, they turned their attention onto Jack, laughing as they tore his face apart, telling them it's their daddy's fault. Well, they only made Jack's face a matching set. The right side of his face had been torn apart in a car wreck, airbag deploying late and a piece of metal slicing through one side. There was no money for surgery, and the insurance companies wrote it off as customer negligence to let a child ride in the front seat of the car. Anna grimaced at the brutal past the two have. That little incident had happened four years before she had arrived in Gotham with her late mother. It's what sealed the deal on fully making Jack an outcast in their high school. Making him a freak by their standards and treating him like a diseased leper.

"_Anna!"_ Good god. Jeannie roared from the other end of the phone, which caused her to jerk sharply, miss stepping and then rammed into a cold lamp post. Eyes rolling, Anna rubbed her arm, quickly dashed up the steps and towards the MUC building.

"I'm outside." She spat waspishly, not in the least bit caring how she sounded. The current situation had them both stressed out of their fucking wits. Hell, the whole city was stressed, so having a bit of attitude wasn't as big of a deal as it could have been.

"_Fuckin' finally."_ With that, Jeannie hung up, leaving Anna alone as she clambered up the stone steps to the entrance. A cop opened the door, clearly decked out in armor, smiling and gave a warm _ma'am._ Anna had trouble returning the smile back as she stepped inside. The air inside the MCU was warm thankfully, almost stuffy with the amount of people running around inside. Anna was greeted typically by a rude Jeannie who strutted over while looking pissed beyond belief. Her shoulders were hunched over, making her appear even bigger than she already was, and Anna couldn't help but think that she looked like a pissed alley cat that had been dunked in a bucket of water.

"S'bout time you got here Ann. Do you have _any_ idea how many times the 'fuckin pigs checked to make sure I wasn't a crook? _Unfuckin' believable…" _Jeannie furiously muttered, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Before Anna had the chance to tell Jeannie that she was in fact a crook, just a retired one who has quite the long list of grievances, two cops strode forward, a man and a woman.

"Mrs. Napier, Commissioner Gordon. Wish we could have met under better circumstances." The older man stated, sticking a worn hand out which Anna shook firmly. He looked over to Jeannie who was looming behind her, eyebrows rising slightly at the sight of her cheek, but was smart and made no further comment.

"Congrats on the promotion, _Commish."_ Jeannie grunted, while Anna closed her eyes at her sister in law's antics. Now was clearly _not the time_ to be a little shit with law enforcement.

"Uh, thank you. You happen to have information on the Joker yes? That's what you said in the phone call earlier."

Anna briefly paused, and pondered not saying anything, having a fantasy of running far, far away with Jay to someplace safe, where none of this would appear. Such a fantasy was wonderful, ideal, but she knew she had to tell Gordon the truth before Joker became a horrible reckoning upon Gotham. This was her only chance to make things right, to give the cops a chance at even attempting to prevent any more of this anarchist violence from growing. He'd already ruthlessly murdered Judge Surillo and the former Commissioner Loeb. Who knows the next person that he'll kill.

"Yes." She responded looking back over her shoulder, small shivers appearing at the sight of all the crooks locked up in their cells with cops taunting and yelling and prodding from the sides, much like animals and keepers in a zoo. Some paused, both crooks and cops, to stare at Jeannie's scar, until she returned a withering look. Gordon seemed to notice both of their discomforts at all the attention, and quickly made an offer to the two of them.

"Ramirez. Go and check on those DNA sets; I've got it from here." Anna watched the Latina woman make a face but nodded, before bustling away. "Here. Why don't we go back to my office so we can talk further in private?" Anna nodded, and then Gordon led them to his small, over crowded office. People continued to stare as they walked back, primarily at Jeannie. The trip back to the office was mercifully short. Anna knew if one more cop or criminal gawked, Jeannie would end up going batshit crazy on more than just a few of them.

_As if she hadn't already done that multiple times before, including other law enforcement._ She thought, Jeannie could be a real challenge, as if she already didn't know that. Jeannie knew it for a fact, and flaunted it, wanting a challenge to happen.

Gordon pulled out his keys, jingling as he unlocked his door and stepped aside to let them in. She made a short beeline inside to the small black chair, but Jeannie stood back against the wall, tapping her foot against it. Gordon sat down at his desk which was overflowing with cases and reports. He then pulled out a pad of yellow paper and a pen, then took a deep breath and spoke.

"So what is your relationship to the Joker Mrs. Napier?" Gordon questioned strongly, not wasting any time to try and warm her up. The world in Gotham had gone to shit and she got it. Anna ignored Jeannie's snort behind her. _Now is not the time to be a smart ass._

"I was his wife." Anna stated calmly, but internally her nerves bundled tight. The shoe was about to drop, and she didn't want to do it. After this, the ripples in the aftermath were going to be catastrophic. The image of one Jack Napier would be finally consumed by the Joker, as if he had never existed. She numbly watched Gordon as he slightly gapped in shock; obviously he was not expecting this kind of information to just be dropped in his lap with little work. Jeannie was staying silent thankfully; Anna was suspecting once the woman opened her mouth, it would be like opening a can of worms. Full of all the disgusting things about the Joker they needed.

Gordon didn't even bother writing anything down as he pressed with the next question.

"What's the Joker's real name?" She glanced at Jeannie, whose face tightened with simmering anger and regrets, of her whole life that was filled with everything about who Jack was. The tall woman took a deep breath, preparing for the fall out of this answer.

_God please help me for what I'm about to do._

"His name is Jack Napier."

Anna knew that God had stopped listening to her pleas a long time ago.

* * *

The cold air was a wonderful welcome for Gordon as he stood on the roof top of MCU. The SWAT suit was constricting, layers of bullet proof material weighing down on him. Thankfully, it did its job extremely well but the cooling sweat sliding down the spine of his back he could do without. Gordon was glad at the moment there was no further need for it.

The Joker had been caught in a grueling showdown that was finally over. The man was now locked up in a secure cell in probably the most secure public building in Gotham. The department tried to keep it under wraps, but the free media was a flock of vultures who've found the fresh meat for their story. It was good and all that the TV stations could let the people catch their breath and finally be free of fear; however once the media had gotten wind of the Joker being held in holding at MCU, hundreds of phone calls came pouring in the system. Most were reporters and aspiring journalists, wanting an interview with either Gordon himself or strangely enough, the Joker. Why the people in Gotham always, and he means always have a morbid fascination with the sick baffled him beyond belief.

Nonetheless, one phone call for some reason had peculiarly stood out from the others. That call had been forwarded to Gordon's desk, a woman claiming that she had legitimate information about the Joker. Normally, these kinds of people who claimed this would be put on a list to be "questioned", but Gordon and the police at MCU were sadly completely desperate for any scrap of information that anyone had. Gordon knew completely that he was taking a risk of actually taking the random woman in_. If the woman was actually connected to the Joker in any way…_

_Damn._ He sighed, bringing the steaming coffee to his mouth, taking a well needed sip of the cup of joe.

There was a huge risk in doing this. Hell there was always a risk doing this. False or misleading information could be brought in which could send the case on a wild goose chase throughout Gotham that always ended cold. Gordon looked at his watch, noting that there was about twenty minutes until the woman arrived. There was already a rather, _strange_, the best way to put it, woman waiting for her on the first floor, causing some uneasiness with many of the other cops due to the _condition_ of her face. The eerie similarity to a certain other was just something that they were going to have to deal with. His own men were smart; they wouldn't try anything, not when they were all too paranoid with watching the Joker, like some sort of wild, exotic, _dangerous_ animal in his cage.

"Mrs. Napier is almost here."

Gordon never seems to fail to be startled as their local Dark Knight would appear out of nowhere, and he whirled around at the source of the noise, heart jumping (slightly due to the caffeine) in his chest, and a black figure slowly walked forward and out of the shadows that simply seemed to wrap around him. Gordon swore silently to himself for being off guard_ again_ around Batman. He was still on edge from earlier, and the Batman was not helping the situation. Exactly how a man could silently walk on _gravel _of all things he didn't know and definitely didn't trust anyone who could. He was sure that he could bet money that Batman simply enjoyed sneaking out of the shadows like a ghost or boogeyman of some sort. _He probably does, gets some sort of kick or amusement of it._

Gordon nodded as he sipped more of the liquid caffeine that one day will most likely kill him instead of a bullet from a crook's gun. The city was quiet after the loud explosions that had rocked the city from earlier. Lights twinkled far and wide off of glass skyscrapers that seemed to blend into the sky with the barely visible stars. Cars were still about, but there was practically no one out on the sidewalks. It was a smart move on all of their parts. After today's completely terrible mess downtown, you'd have to be fool to willingly wander about.

"Good work today. Dent's calling you a hero. Do you think people will soon say the same?"

_ "No."_

It didn't come as a surprise for Gordon as he heard the clipped response. Despite what most considered heroic actions from him, he still had many people that hated him for their own reasons. They feared him. Didn't understand him. Gordon understood though; Batman wasn't a cop or even a soldier. He couldn't be controlled by the law. He couldn't be held down by the shackles that prevented good men from being fully able to do their job. He was simply above it, fulfilling justice no matter what.

"I pulled the files on the two women. The first, Anna Napier, was clean, other than one vandalism incident as a juvenile. She's married, but her husband has been gone for over six years. His files are practically empty. No photo ID, no records other than a birthdate and an address." Gordon huffed, irritation bubbling slightly. It was obvious that someone had done all the clearing for him. Before Loeb started doing crack downs on corruption, it was easy for a person to just simply _disappear_ from the system. Pay quite a few grand to someone in the mob and bam. Done. Gone. Forever. Just like that.

"Someone had loose ends cleared up." Batman's voice murmured gravely, and Gordon nodded, running his hand through his hair causing it to become even more ruffled. "And the other woman?"

"Jeannie Napier. Long record with aggravated assault, arson, drug possession, theft, and vandalism. It mostly started after the city took her son after the father was murdered by a group of loan sharks he owed money to. She was running odd jobs for gangs but now she's been mostly clean in the past five years though_." Jesus, with a record like this I'm surprised that murder just so happens to not be thrown in there._ Gordon thought bitterly, knowing damn well that the woman had most likely killed someone before but instead got away with it. "I'm guessing you're going to want to speak with them before you question the Joker?"

"Yes." Batman rasped, rounding towards the edge of the rooftop, dark cape still managing to cloak him. Gordon frowned at exactly _what the hell_ he was doing, before realizing like always that jumping rooftops was a regular part of Batman's forte, so he didn't bother to question him. Batman worked in his own ways and there was no point in bothering him.

"My office. I'll take them there."

"Good."

He jumped off, black cape flying wide open, like his very own set of wings as he glided down. Gordon gave a soft chuckle, and walked towards the door, finishing the coffee which had gotten slightly cold from being outside so long. He had work to do downstairs. And this certain piece of work simply couldn't wait any longer.


	2. Show Me That Smile

_Gordon didn't even bother writing anything down as he pressed with the next question._

_ "What's the Joker's real name?" She glanced at Jeannie, whose face tightened with simmering anger and regrets, of her whole life that was filled with everything about who Jack was. The tall woman took a deep breath, preparing for the fall out of this answer._

_God please help me for what I'm about to do._

_ "His name is Jack Napier."_

_Anna knew that God had stopped listening to her pleas a long time ago_

"You're positive?" Both women jumped sharply in their spots, Jeannie and Anna startled by the vigilante who stepped away from the shadows and into the light. They continued to give him bewildered looks until Jeannie broke the silence.

"Well shit."

Jeannie gave another harsh laugh, and Anna couldn't help but stare. It was the Batman. _The Batman, The. God. Damn. Batman._ Her thoughts continued along the same vein of thought, the seriousness of the situation over the face Batman was here to deal with this finally hitting her. Anna couldn't help but briefly think that Jay would have loved this.

"Yes. I've known Jack since freshman year in high school. I uh," Anna paused, throat cracking, and roughly ran one hand over her face. "I most likely know him better than anyone else does." She breathed, the words tainting her tongue like a slick poison. The thoughts and images and sounds about him were getting jumbled in her head like a distorted and horrifying painting that was similar to a burning car wreck she had to look at. It had taken _so long_ to move on, to forget, to try and heal the hole in her heart and mind that was _still_ there, no matter how hard Anna tried; now it was like unleashing the dam she'd built against at even the thought of him, had been brutally torn down and those old, bitter memories came flooding in which a vengeance.

"We thought he was dead. Disappeared one night, never came back." _God how pathetic I must sound._ Anna briefly wallowed in her own self misery. "It was better for everyone to think that."

"Yeah, well-uh, it seems that the little shit had come back from the dead and crazier than fuck. Fuckin' _bastard_." Jeannie snapped, the deep scar across her cheek making the sneer seem much more malevolent.

"Jeannie," Anna started softly, but was abruptly cut off by Jeannie. This had been a long time coming, Jeannie never being able to get over what she had done, and what she _hadn't_ done that day he was finally gone.

"_No!_ Ya' know it's true!" She yelled, causing Gordon to jump at the sudden increase of noise. Batman remained still as a statue, unmoving in the corner, carefully analyzing the scarred women. "If I'd a gotten rid of him after what he'd gone to us, _none_ of this would have happened."

Anna scowled, frustration filling her. She knew that Jeannie believed it was her own fault and was saying most of this out of some lost sense of duty.

"It's not your fault. It won't ever be your fault. You didn't hurt me. You didn't hurt Jay." Despite her best efforts to make her voice strong, is still quivered like a shaking leaf desperately holding onto its branch. Jeannie just stared at her, dark eyes squinting in annoyance at her sister-in-law's attempt to try and reason with her. She chewed the inside of her cheek, thinking of something that only she could ever know. Anna looked at Jeannie as she offered a flat smile, all life drained out of her eyes, with a dark promise tainting the corners of her pale lips.

"Well, looks like we don't have Crane to rely on for help this time."

"_Jeannie-_"

"Crane? As in Doctor Crane?"

It felt as if her already heavy heart fell pulled itself to the floor, bringing even more agony. Anna's grey eyes turned down, staring at her hands that twisted nervously in her lap. While Anna doubted that Jeannie brought it up accidently, it never was, but it was true. Jonathan was just as much a criminal as Jack was. _Is. He's back. He's still alive. _The two of them, Jonathan and her, had gone to Gotham University together. They had met there and had quite a few classes together. The two of them had become good friends, and he knew of about her situation with her son and didn't judge her for being a young mother. More than once, Jon had complemented her for balancing so much. But those were fresh wounds, still bleeding, protruding at the edges. He was there though that night Jack went wild, went _mad. _Anna knew very well that she'd probably be dead if Jonathan hadn't taken control of the situation, pulling a gun out on Jack.

_ "I'm giving you a warning. Get your hands off of her and step away." Jonathan demanded sharply, voice as cold as his bright blue eyes. Jack gave off another piercing, hysterical laugh, tightening his hands around Anna's bruised neck once more before shoving her out of the way. Anna fell to the ground, gasping wetly, much needed air filling her lungs, crying in shock, in rage, before fear began to fill her body as Jack began to advance onto Jonathan like a predator._

_ "And __**you**__ must be the little scarecrow she's told me__** all**__ about." He dragged out the l, smile sickly wide. "So, you uh think that you're gonna play the hero? I'm not afraid of guns Johnny boy." Jack's words were harsh, grating like gravel and sharp as razor blades on her ringing ears. Jeannie stood in the corner, in a similar state of shock, but was holding Jay safely away, or as safe as he could get, from the madness before her._

_ "__**Get away from her.**__"_

"Once upon a time, Jonathan wasn't insane. He was brilliant. He was my friend and knew of what was going on. He, he helped get Jack away from me." The whisper seemed loud in the quiet room, the silence weighing down as neither Gordon nor Batman said a single word. Anna shifted in the chair, unsure as what to say next, for she was just this strange little woman who somehow held knowledge and involved with some of Gotham's most infamous criminals.

"We pulled up his file. It's practically empty. No photo ID, medical records gone, hell not even a workplace. Nothing at all except for a date of birth and an old address." Gordon spoke slowly, breaking the quiet tension in the room. Anna nodded her head, knowing very well he had done everything he could to erase his past. Completely.

"Jack- He knew a lot of well-connected people. Was one of them himself. Don't ask me who because he would never speak of it, and I would never ask. Jack was-is crafty and clever whenever he got involved with mobsters or gangs." Anna replied, gritting her teeth hard. Part of her desperately wanted nothing more than to go down and strangle the life out of him, as he once tried to do to her. The other side simply wanted to ask _why._ Why he changed. Why he left and was gone for so long. Where he had hidden himself away during those long six years. Anna's mouth began to spill words before her brain caught up to what she was saying.

"Let me speak to him."

"Why the _fuck would you want to do that!?_" Jeannie snarled furiously, voice rough on her ears. Anna ignored her, dark eyes pointedly staring at Gordon silently. She turned and looked at the Batman, who still said nothing and remained unmoving. "He's still my husband. I just want to know why." Her voice sounded broken, pitiful. Appearing as a woman who had lost everything and couldn't even turn to some higher up divine to plead and beg for mercy in their sad little life.

Gordon remained speechless for a second, face blank while he tried to process the request he was hearing from the woman before him. Jeannie sighed, leaning back against the wall, muttering insults and curses in every language she possibly knew. But before Gordon had a chance to deny her the time to speak to him, Batman spoke.

"Let her talk. I'll be there. She'll be safe."

"We can't allow her to go and speak to _him._" Gordon shot back strongly, but Batman didn't even bother to reply, which for some reason amused Anna. _You can really argue with the Batman._ Gordon gave an irritated squint at Batman and then just gave a sigh in defeat, shaking his head.

"This is highly, well is, unethical what we are going to do. Though, this isn't exactly a normal situation." Anna quietly nodded once again, knowing damn well if this was any other situation she would never have gained the balls to go and talk with him. She didn't speak, not trusting her voice in the slightest, and Jeannie gave a huge scoff, throwing her hands up in defeat.

"Well thank _heaven hallelujah._ Ya' just got yourself a big ol' bat to watch your ass. Isn't this just fantastic." Jeannie glowered at her, but she brushed it off with little thought.

Anna swore she saw the corner of Batman's mouth curve upward into a smirk, but said nothing of it. _Looks like tha' man can actually smile after all. _Gordon inhaled, turning his gaze to the ceiling, hoping God will give him mercy to deal with this, and Anna gave a small smile back to Batman.

"Let's get this over with."

* * *

"Jack."

Anna muttered his name softly against his neck, lean arms wrapped around her shoulders. Her body was still racked with shivers from the cold winter storm outside, but the warm blanket draped over their legs helped warm her up. The apartment's heating was absolute shit, like always the landlady refused to spend the money to improve it. Best the two of them could do in the run down Narrow's apartment was bundle up in front of a small heater that half way worked. Even then, it sometimes didn't help.

"Just be quiet." His voice was strangely soft spoken, his dark eyes were half closed in either thought or exhaustion, most likely both. Anna said nothing in response, only pulling up the blanket closer to her and shifted closer to Jack. A loud rumble began to echo through the apartment as the city's monorail train came rushing by, and as quick as it came it was gone. Noise from the train was a normal occurrence at all hours of the day for them.

Oh how she wanted to say something to calm Jack's nerves, but it would be like adding gunpowder to fire. She didn't know what to say. Jeannie had been missing since last night, and neither of them knew where she could possibly be. Even though Jack wouldn't tell her, Anna could tell that he was checking every possible place where Jeannie 'worked', but it seemed pointless. No one had seen her or had a clue at where she could possibly be at. It was like Jeannie simply disappeared off the face of the earth, no trace left behind. The worst part of all of this was that they couldn't take it to the police. Jeannie was a suspect in so many cases that sending the dogs after her would likely end up exposing something that would have never been found.

"We're gonna find her Jack. She knows how to take care of herself."

"I know that Anna." He muttered, and she didn't press any harder about it. Jack's face had pinched together in concentration, licked the corner of his scars, eyes dark as he started at the wall. He began to open his mouth, but closed it just as quick, as if he wasn't sure what to say. But when he opened his mouth and finally spoke, Anna almost wanted to cry.

"I'll never let them do anythin' to you Ann. I'll kill em' first."

"I know Jack."

Anna gave a warm smile as she gently pulled him down for a soft kis-

* * *

"Are you still sure that you want to do this?" Anna jerked at the voice suddenly speaking next to her, mind ripping away the cobwebs of the old memory that lingered in the edges of her brain. Why that memory she suddenly recalled, she didn't know why. Those were the days when she thought it would just be him and her against the world, smiling and laughing loudly. But days like those were long gone; there was no going back to when Jack still loved her and had a gentle touch. Anna swallowed, throat painfully dry and too shy to ask for a drink. She stared into the dark, empty room where _he_ was casually sitting in front of the metal table, knuckled rapping a random tune. It seemed so different, so _strange_ being this close to him after six years. His curly sandy hair was utterly distorted by an acidic green dye, the grotesque face makeup causing his face to look like a demented clown. All she could do was watch. _I have to do this._

"And Batman's already in there?"

"Yes, he was brought in before the Joker. If anything should happen, he'll be right on it." Many of the cops milling around them were trying to nonchalantly stare at Gordon and her, and Anna didn't blame them. Those cops were probably thinking it was crazy to allow this little defenseless woman to go and have a _chat _of all things with an insane murderer. Small shivers racked her, nerves a frenzied mess and the hand Gordon placed on her thin shoulders helped, the man saying nothing.

"Well if shithead even _tries_ anything, I'll come on in there and beat his ass to a pulp again." Jeannie groused from her left, which did give Anna a reason to smile a little. There was no doubt that Jeannie would go through with her word and do it. She was just aching for a reason to get in there and cause some serious damage to every inch of that man's body. To get permanent revenge on the man who ruined their lives.

"We will do this whenever you're ready Mrs. Napier."

_Go. Do it. Go ahead. Just take the steps. Left foot right foot, there you go keep going._ Anna followed Gordon away from the one way windows, and he led her around to a tall metal door that loomed in front of them. He pulled on the handle, and a sharp loud _buzz_ sounded above them and the door unlocked. Gordon pulled it open, and she wanted to scream for him to close it. As the door swung wide open, her heart began to hammer like a violent drum inside her rib cage. Hands quickly grew clammy, and Anna felt as if she was going to start hyperventilating and collapse into hysterics. Lips pressed together, she said nothing to Gordon as he stepped aside for her to walk through into what felt like an entrance into Hell.

_He can't hurt you. He can't hurt you._ Anna chanted the words over and over again in a pointless mantra as she stepped into the interrogation room.

The door sharply slammed close behind her, a breeze rushing by her. Once again, just like how it had all started in the beginning, it was just her and Jack.


	3. White Dress

Click. Clack. Click. Clack.

Sharp echoes from her heels resounded loudly in the endless dark of the interrogation room as she slowly made her way to him. With each step her shaky legs took closer, Anna felt as if screams were going to start pouring out of her. He's a monster no. That's all he was, everything before a bittersweet life that had been utterly razes by his own hate.

_Monstermonstermonstermonster._ Grey eyes almost closed but remained open in fear.

"_You think ima monster? Newsflash sweet cheeks, you're the one who married tha' monster." _Harsh, mocking words were tearing her mind apart, reminding her just how right he had been then. How true it was. All of this felt like it was turning into one horrible joke orchestrated by him, that Jack was happily laughing his sick little head off on the inside; like he wanted to be the ultimate punchline in her life that had turned into a demented joke to him. It seemed he had completely taken control of her life.

Anna took another step closer, finally out of the shadows that had protected her face and stopped behind the metal chair in front of her. It took a long painful moment for her to force her gaze away from the chair and into her past. As she took her seat, something inside seemed to begin slowly cracking, like the porcelain face of a neglected doll as Jack finally looked at her for the first time in six years; a small grin stretching across his face. He came across to be _cheerful _and she forced herself to keep breathing and stay calm. _I've survived him before and I'll continue to do so. He can't hurt you._ Batman was hiding within the shadows of the room, though she couldn't tell exactly where. He was as good as a safety net she could ever get. A flinch overcame her as the sick man, _monster he's a monster_, opened his mouth and let out an ear piercing giggle that already haunted her. She tensed in her seat with anticipation and fear as he leaned forward, smile still there.

"After _all _this time and no welcome home kiss? One would think that my little wife would be much more _welcoming."_ Jack tilted his head to the side, dark eyes glinting with some sort of sick pleasure as he watched her. Anna stared back at him, face blank. Her whole body seemed to be petrified, caught once again in his web. It felt like someone was gutting her when she tried to breathe. Anna knew he was enjoying her fear like always, because he just smiled wide and kept on going.

"Speechless sweetheart? Not tha' first time I left ya' spee-"

"Why are you back?" Anna pried, not wanting to play the mind fuckery games that Jack was so very fond of. A quick lick at the corner of his mouth, a bad habit he's had since before she even knew him.

"Why did I come _back_? Really? No, no, no, _no._" He pursed his lips thoughtfully, and then grinned again. "I never left. I believe the better question is why are _you_ still here _hmm_?" He paused, raising a brow at Anna and gave her an almost believable pouty look, like he actually meant to feel sorry for her. "Gotham's all but ruined you and yet here you still. are. Count me as surprised sweet cheeks, I thought ya' were smarter then this."

Grey eyes widened, disbelief rampant as he struck a nail in the head hard. It had taken years to build up those walls against him, even with him gone it took forever, and now here was Jack effortlessly tearing them down around her.

"Tell me why you're here."

It was a pointless question, they both knew it. Jack ignored her, instead leaning forward, his body humming with a violent excitement that filled the air as he eagerly pressed on. It was almost like a curious child watching with fascination as they ripped the wings off of a bug.

"Shouldn't you uh have packed up all your little bags and changed the locks and be gone? No, you're still hopin' that maybe one day everything could go back to the way things were? Keep playin' the loving, caring housewife _for me_?" The loud, hysterical laugh shook her, and Anna watched as he nearly fell out of his seat. Rage filled her, rushing into every pore like a drug, filling her up. Anna swung her arm back and flung her hand across the side of Jack's scarred, painted face. It wasn't satisfying enough. She wanted to keep going, to use her fists and turn him black and blue like he had. _IhateyouIhateyouIhateyou. _ The pain didn't bother the man, and he turned his head slowly and gave her another one of his _looks_.

"It's been six fucking years of you gone who knows where, and then you just come waltzing back into Gotham puling this!? What the_ hell is wrong with you!? What's the point of all this!?_" There was no more control of her emotions as they snapped, anger and hate and agony of him doing the violent, murderous, little games of his to torment Gotham.

"Why should there be a point? All I've done is just because I can. Why, don't tell me ya' missed me. Anna, you're the one who had a uh _gun_ pulled on me." The tone grew darker, edged with the promise of violence, no longer sounding so high pitched. A snarl pulled at his scars as he watched her in anticipation, like a rabid dog ready to pounce for that piece of fresh meat.

"You mean absolutely nothing to me." Anna spat venomously, her nails digging into the sweaty flesh of the palm, yearning that is was Jack's throat she could instead claw into. That statement was clearly not the right thing to say as He shook his head angrily, lips twisted in annoyance then quickly leaned forward, almost hanging off of the seat, and Anna pulled back, waiting.

"_I_ complete you. Without me, you'd be nothing than _fish food_ due to daddy's _ahem_ 'profession'. I was a loving husband, for _you_, protecting you from the scum this city _spat out_." Anna hated him. Oh how she hated him. Hated him with _every inch_ of her being. Hated him for being right. Anna simply stared at the man worthy of the title devil, and Jack gave another one of those god awful howls. "Now, you did promise me until death do us part Anna. I've checked and whatdaya know, you're still married to little ol' me. Why, I'd say that would make you just ah _little_ more obligated to not say I mean nothin' to ya." He dark comment cause small trembles. The last time she could recall him speaking like this was when he had finally gone off the deep end. It was when her life had finally turned for the worst.

"Like it or not, Anna, I have you bound to me."

_Stopit._

"There's no need ta' be so sensitive sweet cheeks bout' us being married, well, married to little ol' me."

_Stopitstopit._

"I mean, I just loved how pretty that little white dress made you for. Quite the blushing bride, skin perfect for marking up." Those comments hurt, she wanted to cover her ears and scream. Anna stopped listening until Jack gave a loud- "_Come on_ Anna, I know that the bruises have faded n' all, but not the scars. Why, I think that they're an improvement."

_Stopitstopitstopit._

"You've got no damn right,"

"Oh I've got. Every. Right. You gave it to me when we said those lovey _'I do's'._ Now," Jack paused briefly, then darted forward with his hands; she couldn't even react but gave a short scream as he wrapped his now cuff free hands around her face. His eyes were dark as he smiled, shinning with madness that only he could ever know. As Jack held onto her face, Anna could only think of one thing. _Batman! Where's Batman?!_

"You see, a guy, like _me_ only wants to make his litt-_le_ wife happy."

"A monster." She hissed through her teeth, wincing in pain as his jagged nails dug in sharply, eyes fluttering rapidly in panic as Jack drug her closer. He spouted another angry hyena laugh; harshly patting her on the cheek with his calloused hands.

"Anna, Anna, Anna. You haven't learned at _all-uh_. Don't you know? I'm a man of his word." There was no warning as he slammed his painted lips against hers, with such intensity as if he was trying to devour her whole. The urge to vomit right then and there was overwhelming, sweetness that was all too familiar in her. The assault was over as soon it had started, with blinding lights flickering on and a late saving figure in black ripping Jack off of her. Blood gushed from her lip as he bit down, her blood and spit flying from his mouth as Anna frantically scrambled away. Which ended up with her painfully tripping over the chair and falling to the cold concrete floor. Another scream spilled out of her as Jack gave another terrifying, shrieking laugh, while attempting to lunge over the table.

"C'_mon_ Anna, dontcha know?" He sang over his shoulder through the choke hold Batman was holding him in. Giving her another sharp, mean grin, he crooned sweetly. Anna gave a wet sob as the statement fell on her. "I'll always find you."

_No more. No more, I can't. _She ran from the room, away from the scars, the memories, and the promise that would follow her all the way to the grave.

There was one thing that Anna knew to be true. She knew that this was only just the start.

"We're gonna be fine Anna. Just- we'll just leave town for awhile. You still got that beach house n' shit. Head down to it. Somethin' like that." Jeannie's rambling from the driver's seat had been going steady for about five minutes, trying to comfort Anna who eyes were glossed over with shock and disbelief. Her mind had gone into full fledged shock from the event not even ten minutes ago, Jack's shrieking laughs still rampaging through her head as he was easily beat to a pulp by the Batman. It took time, but Anna finally gathered her wits, _I can thank Gordon and the fifty cop cars that went flyin' in two directions_, and began to make a list of what needed to be done.

"I need to get back to Jay. Make sure he's ready for school tomorrow. Still gotta check the books for Helena."

"You know the schools sure as hell won't be open tomorrow Ann."

The interior of the car was freezing cold, she noted absently. Jeannie said nothing to her after that; giving Anna a short look over then took a deep breath and started the car. Anna couldn't have been more thankful for the silence that was given to her. The whole day seemed to have been a nightmare; like she'd hallucinated all of it and was finally coming back to reality. It certainly felt like she'd done some sort of drug, for her head was starting to pulse from a forming headache.

"I've gotta call Robin when we get back-"

Jeannie was cut off; a loud resounding _boom_ rocked the car violently, strong vibrations coursing through every inch of Anna's body. The air in her lungs whooshed out with a wheeze, leaving her breathless. The sound of glass shattering and raining down mixed with the car alarms going off created a chaotic symphony that was deafening. Time seemed to slow as the sky lit up with a blazing fire, smoke pouring into the air. Her pale grey eyes glowed as she watched the fiery blast that ripped through the MCU building.

The car came to a screeching halt on the side of the road, rubble and glass banging against the body of the car. Jeannie cursed loudly as she watched the flames that were greedily devouring the place. Anna was flung forward with the sudden halt, the force causing her to nearly hit the dash board. Momentarily dazed, she struggled with the seat belt, flinging it off of her and pushed the car door open. She gasped as she took in the scene in front of her, the heat of the flames warming her from her seat.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Jeannie screamed at Anna, grabbing her arm before she could climb out. Anna struggled away from the death grip, attempting to remove Jeannie's hand.

"Don't be a moron! Those people need help!"

"Yeah, well, that's nice n' all, but fuck them and let's freakin' leave!"

Now was not the time to have a debate of safe life choices, as the building continuing to burn more and more. "I've got medical training and there was just an explosion!"

"And _who the fuck_ do you think caused it!? For fuck's sake Anna, have a little common _sense_!"

"There are injured people in there!"

As Jeannie's grip slackened, she quickly pulled away, getting out, and Jeannie not bothering to grab after her, cursed as she slapped her hand against the steering wheel in frustration. Anna bolted across the street, weaving around debris that decorated the ground. People came pouring out in all directions, frantic and yelling and waving. Cop cars sped by, wailing loudly with the red and blue lights flashing, and she paused for a second. The cop cars were going in the _opposite _direction. She began screaming for them, waving her hands in the air frantically, trying to get them to stop, to turn the hell around and help.

But that's when she saw him. Head hanging out the window, shaking it like a rabid dog. Anna felt as if her blood had turned to ice. Jack planned this, all of this, from the beginning to the end. And now he'd gotten what he wanted; a chase. The dark truth dawned on her, continuing to watch those cars disappear around the corner.

The Joker had gotten away.

"Get in the car. Now. Anna!"

Jeannie was screaming and howling behind her, but she couldn't tear herself away. Astonished, she felt the terror run rampant in her to no end, for this was the first time she had ever seen Jack's bloody handiwork up close and at large, causing the destruction and chaos he was so fond of. Anna gasped and jerked violently when hands grabbed onto her arm, calming when her eyes met Jeannie's who finally had enough and gotten out of the car to get them away from this bloodbath. They continued to stare at each other, the nightmare that they once though was over long ago now back and amped up to completely horrifying new levels.

Jeannie swallowed thickly, looking around at the destruction done by her brother's hand; giving a long, shaky sigh that almost teetered into sobbing, Jeannie spoke at a slow, steady pace.

"Anna, we need to move, now."

* * *

A/N: Wow, I finally got this entire thing out and done. Now, don't be made but I've had this story written on paper for about three months now, but just never seemed to have the time to post it up! I do hope that you are all enjoying my characters Jeannie and Anna, and don't forget; reviews are life, each one you send helps a poor, starving author.

Until next time!


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